The #1 Way to Price Your Paintings

Do you feel too embarrassed to talk about the price of your paintings with a client?

When someone is interested in one of your paintings and ask the price do you fumble with your words and end up saying… Oh, I don’t know, what about $300? You know what happens next.

I bet this is when you think…” Perhaps I was charging too much”.

Actually, you were charging too little. When your prices are too low people question its value.

With the quality of your work and its impeccable presentation the future collector expects more.

In coaching Artists, I find there are 5 common reasons why artists are afraid to discuss the price of their paintings.

Afraid to take the risk of being rejected

Think your prices may be too high

Question whether you are qualified to charge that much

If the future buyer questions your price you fear you won’t know how to answer.

Money makes you uncomfortable so you best price your work low so you won’t have to talk about money.

I grew up in the South and talking about money was taboo. It was as if it was a dirty little secret….and guess what…that made money emotionally dirty.

Pricing your work is an overwhelming rollercoaster for most artists. Questions fill your mind…

Where do I begin?

Is my painting worth what I am asking?

Will people pay my price?

What if I never sell anything because of my price?

Should my prices be consistent?

Do I do it by the square inch, emotion or by size?

These are questions every artist asks.

So, what is the best way to price your paintings?

Here is what I do and I find it to be an easy way to keep everything simple.

I do it by size. How do I determine what to charge by size? I do the price by inch first….knowing that the smallest paintings will end up being way too inexpensive and the large paintings way too expensive.

I then take the average price and decide what to charge by size. For example, my 12×12 paintings are $1200 in a gallery. When a collector asks the price, I know because of the size. Simple.

Now comes the question…”But what if it is the absolute best painting I have ever done”…do I charge more? The answer is NO!

If a 16 x 20 painting is priced different than another 16 x 20 it confuses the buyer and a confused buyer never buys!